Comic Relief store struggles two years after death of founder

Comic Relief, a long-standing fixture on Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley, and once regarded as one of the best comic bookstores in the U.S., is in danger of closing its doors unless it gets a new infusion of cash.

Money has been so tight in recent months that the store has laid off two employees, according to Sophie Yanow, the public relations coordinator for Comic Relief. Its distributor, Diamond, is no longer sending Comic Relief new releases because of the cash flow problem, which was first reported in the East Bay Express.

Without new releases, there are fewer customers, said Yanow.

The store never been the same since its owner, Rory Root, died two years ago at the age of 50, according to people in the comics industry. Root was a giant in the comics world, a magnetic personality and a great ambassador for comics, said Eric Stephenson, the publisher of Image Comics in Berkeley. He encouraged new artists and set up huge booths in some of the biggest comic festivals in the country, which gave the store high visibility. In 1993, Comic-Con International awarded the store the Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing Award in honor of its exemplary work in promoting the genre.